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pilight



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PostPosted: 10/31/09 2:41 pm    ::: Playing around with similarity scores Reply Reply with quote

I'm sure most of you saw Petrel's post about similarity scores a few days ago. I like the similarity score system, I remember when Bill James first introduced it for baseball back in the early 80's, but I'm not convinced that Petrel is using it to its best effect.

First, I don't think comparing a career in progress to a completed career is a fair test. Coco Miller and Elaine Powell have some similarities, to be sure, but Miller is only 30 and has a few years left. Pow Powell is over and done with. I don't see that a comparison like that is valuable. It's all the more strange when you consider that Petrel sent me his spreadhseet and he has a method for doing comparisons by age, to see who is the most similar player to Miller as of age 30. As it happens, it's still Powell (even after the next set of adjustments mentioned below) but the match is not nearly as close.

The next thing, which I mentioned to Petrel in an email, is the formula he's using. He copped it from databaseBasketball and made an adjustment only to the ppg divisor, changing it from .18 to .11 due to the shorter games. I think he's underrepresenting the differences between players. For example, the divisor for rebounding is 260, meaning players are one point different for every 260 rebounds. In the NBA, 260 rebounds drops you from 1st (Dwight Howard) to 4th (Emeka Okafor). Not a huge difference. In the W, 260 rebounds drops you from 1st (Erika de Souza) to 113th (Coco Miller). Obviously there's more difference between the latter pair than the former. I recommended to him that he change all the divisors (other than ppg) to about 35% of the values listed. That's the approximate ratio between a full NBA season (81 games of 48 minutes = 3888 minutes) and a full WNBA season (34 games of 40 minutes = 1360 minutes). That would make the rebound divisor 91, which is the difference between 1st (de Souza) and 12th (Swin Cash). That's more reasonable, IMO. I made the appropriate adjustments in the sheet he sent me and I like the results much better. The downside is that if I tell you who the most similar 24 year old to Ivory Latta is, the board would explode.

Now, to the point of this post. After making the adjustments, I thought it would be fun to compare last year's rookies to see who the most similar players at the same age were.

We'll start with Quanitra Hollingsworth. Only 11 other players have played in the W at age 20 and none of them have particularly similar numbers to Q's. The closest match turns out to be Mwadi Mabika, who is not at all reminiscent of Hollingsworth. The sample size here is just too small to provide much meaning. The 20 year old that Lynx fans would most like her to be similar to, Lauren Jackson, scores as the least similar of the 11.

Let's move on to the 21 year olds. Note that this is seasonal age, which means the age the player was on July 1st. I'm also going to skip over rookies who played very little. Nuria Martinez is the most similar to Britany Miller in the sense that they each played only a handful of unproductive minutes.

The most similar to DeWanna Bonner is LaToya Thomas. It's the only match that's even in the ballpark. That can't be encouraging to Merc fans.

The most similar to Courtney Paris is Crystal Langhorne. It's an exceptionally close match, scoring at 995.

How about 22 year olds?

The closest match for Rookie of the Year Angel McCoughtry is Alana Beard. It's not a very close match, mostly because Beard played about 300 more minutes. The next closest is Sophia Young. After that come Marie Ferdinand and Tina Thompson. If similarity scores are meaningful, Angel is destined to be a big star.

One of the things that made me question Petrel's forumlas was that the second most similar player to Shalee Lehning under the old method was DeMya Walker. Under the revised formula, the second most similar is Noelle Quinn, a much more reasonable selection. Either way, the most similar is La'Tangela Atkinson. Other than minutes and assists, they're almost identical.

Renee Montgomery is another one that had me questioning Petrel's formula. Under the old system, Charde Houston scores as most similar. That doesn't even pass the smell test. Under the new system, the most similar to Monty is Stacey Dales. I think that's an excellent match.

The most similar to Kristi Toliver is Kara Lawson. Toliver is another player without a close match.

The most similar to Megan Frazee is Shay Murphy. That seems like an odd pairing, but when you look at the numbers it makes sense. Erlana Larkins is very close behind Murphy for most similar to Frazee.

The most similar to Marissa Coleman is Coretta Brown. It's a close match, too.

Christina Wirth has a bunch of very close matches. Navonda Moore, Michele van Gorp, Kimberly Beck, Jill Chapman, Tonya Washington, Jen Derevjanik, and Jessia Bibby all score 995 or better. There are 25 more who score 990+.

The most similar to Briann January is, ironically, Tan White. Note that this system compares regular season stats only.

Shavonte Zellous has no close matches. Marie Ferdinand scores 980 for the closest. The next closest is Nicole Ohlde.

The most similar to Kia Vaughn is Erlana Larkins. It's a close match, scoring at 992. It would have been closer, but most of Larkins' rookie numbers were better than Vaughn's.

Rashanda McCants' closest match is Chelsea Newton. Maybe that means the Monarchs will trade for her.

How about older rookies?

The most similar to Anete Jekabsone-Zogota is Vickie Johnson. It's not a close match.

The most similar to Chen Nan is Kelly Santos. It's a very close match, scoring at 996.

The most similar to Chante Black is Teana Miller. That seems reasonable.

The most similar to Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton is Gergana Branzova. That also seems reasonable.

The most similar to Anna Montanana is Ile Cyrusus. Actually, it's Katie Cronin, which is almost as bad.



Oh, and who is the most similar 24 year old to Ivory Latta? Becky Hammon, of course.



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PostPosted: 10/31/09 2:48 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

What?

Sorry, you lost me after the second sentence...lol!




Wink


JumpMan23



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PostPosted: 10/31/09 3:11 pm    ::: Re: Playing around with similarity scores Reply Reply with quote

Nice work, pilight!

pilight wrote:
The downside is that if I tell you who the most similar 24 year old to Ivory Latta is, the board would explode.


I'm curious. Do tell.

EDIT: Nevermind, I saw it.




Last edited by JumpMan23 on 10/31/09 3:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
abontorab9



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PostPosted: 10/31/09 3:29 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I knew that I was correct in taking Latta 12th overall in that mock draft last season!

*as pilight shakes his head, having hoped that we would have gotten more out of that*

It's good stuff all the same. Except the bit about Chante Black and that other gal there. Demon speech spouting.


petrel



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PostPosted: 10/31/09 3:38 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Maybe a picture will be more illustrative:



I think that pilight is using different quotients that I am. Once he suggested the "use different denominators" idea, I think we both ran with it in different ways. Still, my results are the same as his.

The idea behind similiarity scores: "take two stat lines, subtract points where different, and see which players are most similar to the others".

Bonner vs. Thomas: They look pretty damned close, except for starts. Both are good shooters, both hit free throws pretty much the same rate. Bonner is a slightly better rebounder; Thomas is better with assists and steals. Both have turnovers > assists.

McCoughtry vs. Beard: Beard played a lot more minutes than McCoughtry, but McCoughtry shot a lot better. Beard, however, is a better rebounder.

Lehning vs. Atkinson: Atkinson was a better shooter at the same age, but she was a horrible free-throw shooter. Lehning moves the ball a lot better, obviously.

Paris vs. Langhorne: I'm astonished at how close they are, but Langhore is clearly the better shooter.

Latta vs. Hammon: Ow. pilight has made a critical hit; the board may never recover. Hammon is the better shooter but Latta is a lot better with assists. Both are the same height. Both shoot the three equally well. And it seems that in Atlanta, Latta fandom is as rabid as Hammon fandom is elsewhere.


pilight



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PostPosted: 11/01/09 10:20 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

After a little more adjustment, I was looking around some more. Some of the more surprising/interesting...

The most similar 22 year old to Essence Carson is Deanna Nolan.

The most similar 23 year old to Nicky Anosike is Cheryl Ford.

The most similar 23 year old to Sylvia Fowles is Rebecca Lobo.

The most similar 24 year old to Tiffany Jackson is Janel McCarville.

The most similar 24 year old to Camille Little is Tamika Whitmore.

The most similar 25 year old to Lindsey Harding is Korie Hlede.

The most similar 25 year old to Bernice Mosby is Le'Coe Willingham.

The most similar 25 year old to Tanisha Wright is Ebony Hoffman.

The most similar 26 year old to Monique Currie is Korie Hlede.

The most similar 26 year old to Kara Braxton is DeMya Walker.

The most similar 26 year old to Cappie Pondexter is Nykesha Sales.

The most similar 26 year old to Janel McCarville is Tamika Whitmore.

The most similar 26 year old to Temeka Johnson is Tamicha Jackson. Laughing

The most similar 26 year old to Ebony Hoffman is Kristen Rasmussen.



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PostPosted: 11/01/09 11:24 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Korie Hlede's name came up twice, and she's not exactly a household name. She played at Duquesne, and her WNBA career was derailed by an ACL -- and she wasn't a typical basketball player, in that her interests were a little wider and she wasn't quite as focused on the game.

But Hlede was a very, very good player and that comparison early on is hardly a put-down.

Similarity scores are big fun, but the younger the players, the less likely there is to be a career-long match. And of course, as with Hlede, injuries can change everything.



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PostPosted: 11/01/09 12:18 pm    ::: Re: Playing around with similarity scores Reply Reply with quote

pilight wrote:
...Oh, and who is the most similar 24 year old to Ivory Latta? Becky Hammon, of course.


Does this mean Latta will join the Russian National Olympic Team at some point in her career too? Wink



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pilight



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PostPosted: 11/01/09 12:38 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

ClayK wrote:
Similarity scores are big fun, but the younger the players, the less likely there is to be a career-long match. And of course, as with Hlede, injuries can change everything.


I don't pretend that it's anything other than a fun thing to play around with.

If the league had more history, I might take the 5 or 10 most similar players to a given rookie and do a weighted average of their career numbers just to further speculate about what the future might hold. However, about 1/4 of the players who have ever played in the league are still playing and many of the ones who aren't had careers that aren't going to be comparable to new players (because they were already in their mid-20's or later when the league started and/or they came over from the ABL). That limits the comparison base to the point where such an exercise would be pointless.



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PostPosted: 08/23/10 10:40 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I got all the 2010 numbers in. Let's see how the rookies stack up

The most similar 22 year old to Jayne Appel is Bernadette Ngoyisa, followed by Kathrin Ress, Summer Erb, and Kelly Santos. All are close matches, over 990. Not encouraging for Appel fans.

Nobody is much like Tina Charles. The closest 21 year old is Chamique Holdsclaw. The match scores at 966, which makes them just vaguely similar.

Abby Bishop has two close matches among 21 year olds: Carla Thomas and Angelina Williams. Neither lasted very long in the W.

Kalana Greene has two close matches among 22 year olds: Chelsea Newton and LaQuanda Barksdale.

Kelsey Griffin has no close matches at 22. The closest, at 988, is Rebekkah Brunson. Just behind that is Rashanda McCants.

Allison Hightower has two very close matches (995): Tamara James and Katrina Hibbert.

Ashley Houts closest match is Jen Derevjanik. It's a close match (993). Just behind that is Kimberly Beck.

Alison Lacey's closest match is also Derevjanik. It's an even closer match (994). In her case the next closest is Christina Wirth.

Chanel Mokango's closest matches are Denique Graves and Ashley Robinson. Eek!

Jacinta Monroe has only one close match: Carla Thomas.

Jene Morris has one very close match (995): Cindy Blodgett.

Epiphanny Prince has no close matches. The closest, at 981, is Stacey Dales.

Brittainey Raven's closest match is Kamesha Hairston, followed by Danielle Crockrom.

Andrea Riley has only one close match: Megan Duffy. Bet you didn't guess that one!

Monica Wright has no close matches. The closest, at 978, is Tamecka Dixon.

Taylor Lilley has several close matches. The closest is Stephanie Raymond, followed by Jameka Jones.

Jana Vesela is 26 years old. The most similar players at that age are Kathrin Ress and Jessie Hicks.

Marion Jones has one close match: Joy Holmes-Harris.



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PostPosted: 09/14/11 8:32 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Got the 2011 numbers in, let's take a look

The most similar 22 year old to Ta'Shia Phillips is Zane Teilane. Then Paige Sauer and Sonja Mallory. Erika de Souza comes in at 6th best match, and it's the only one in the top 10 that's even mildly encouraging for Phillips fans.

The most similar 21 year old to Sydney Colson is Jessica Bibby. It's entirely up to Lib fans to figure that one out.

The most similar 23 year old to Jessica Breland is Paige Sauer. Actually her similars are mostly the same as Phillips except without de Souza.

Ewelina Kobryn is 29 years old. The most similar player at that age is Natalia Vodopyanova.

The most similar 21 year old to Carolyn Swords is Gergana Branzova. Her other close matches are equally memorable.

The most similar 22 year old to Krystal Thomas is Jacinta Monroe. Thomas has many of the same matches as Phillips and Breland, with de Souza ranking as the 10th best match.

The most similar 23 year old to Porsha Phillips is Raegan Scott. I barely remember her playing in the W, so you're excused if you don't. The rest of Phillips' close matches are not much better, though Bobo Tuvic is interesting as the 6th best match.

The closest 21 year old to Victoria Dunlap is Jaynetta Saunders. Ebony Hoffman crops up as the 4th best match.

The closest 22 year old to Alex Montgomery is Octavia Blue.

The closest 21 year old to Karima Christmas is Izi Castro Marques. She also has Andrea Riley and Tanisha Wright in her top 10 comps. This might be one to keep an eye on.

The most similar 23 year old to Amber Harris is Kelly Santos. Other than Adrain Williams, all her comps were complete busts.

The closest 24 year old to Alexis Gray-Lawson is Jolene Anderson. All of her comps are like her, late draftees or undrafted players who had to scrap for roster spots.

The most similar 22 year old to Jantel Lavender is Kara Braxton. She's got a pretty nice top 10 list...

Kara Braxton
Barbara Turner
Courtney Paris
Laura Harper
Tiffany Jackson
Agnieszka Bibrzycka
Shameka Christon
Vanessa Hayden
Jessica Davenport
Kia Vaughn


The most similar 23 year old to Danielle McCray is Kendra Wecker Shocked Allison Feaster and Nikki Teasley are in her top 10, so there's some potential here.

The most similar 22 year old to Jeanette Pohlen is Katie Gearlds. Nicole Powell is 2nd, but it's all downhill from there.

The most similar 24 year old to Jenna O'Hea is Keri Chaconas. She does have Anna DeForge in her top 10 comps, however.

The most similar 21 year old to Jasmine Thomas is Essence Carson. Thomas has a really nice, if somewhat eclectic, set of comps...

Essence Carson
Agnieszka Bibrzycka
Deanna Nolan
Erin Phillips
Asjha Jones
Adia Barnes
Tamera Young
Plenette Pierson
Sandrine Gruda
Helen Darling


Only a handful of players have played in the WNBA at a seasonal age of 19. Ann Wauters is the closest one to Liz Cambage, and she's not that close. Cambage was a lot better than all the other 19 year olds, she scored nearly twice as many points as Wauters for example, which makes comparison difficult.

The most similar 22 year old to Danielle Adams is Tina Thompson. 2nd is Angel McCoughtry. Sophia Young and Sylvia Fowles are also in her top 10. OTOH, so are Sidney Spencer and Tasha Humphrey.

The closest 22 year old to Courtney Vandersloot is Tan White. Her comp list is a scary group of underachievers...

Tan White
Tamara Moore
LaToya Bond
Briann January
Barbara Turner
Edwina Brown
Coretta Brown
Grace Daley
Erin Phillips
Marissa Coleman


The closest 22 year old to Danielle Robinson is Armintie Price. She has the weirdest set of comps I've seen. What other group would include both Lindsay Whalen and Tamika Whitmore?

The closest 22 year old to Kayla Pedersen is Tamara Moore. 2nd is Katie Douglas. That sums up Pedersen perfectly, IMO. She might become a journeyman with no position like Moore or a star who can do a lot of different things like Douglas. The next two comps are Kara Braxton and Briann January...

The most similar 22 year old to Maya Moore is also Tina Thompson. Then Alana Beard, Angel McCoughtry, and Sophia Young. She's a star.



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PostPosted: 09/14/11 9:43 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Colson and Bibby is a comparison that should have come to mind a helluva lot sooner. One speed, no brakes!

It amuses me that a current Georgia Tech assistant comes up as the closest comp to our baby Yellow Jacket.

{sigh, i accidentally a word}



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PostPosted: 09/24/12 2:46 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

So, 2012

Let's start with our 26 year old rookie Aneika Henry. Her 10 closest comps...

Shantia Owens
Tiffany Stansbury
Bethany Donaphin
Danielle McCulley
Megan Frazee
Naomi Mulitauaopele
Erika Desouza
Katrina Colleton
Angie Braziel
Tajama Abraham

It's tough being a late bloomer


Avery Warley is the lone 25 year old rookie. Her comps are in the same vein...

Kathrin Ress
Andrea Garner
Jessie Hicks
Tracy Henderson
Kasha Terry
Kelly Santos
Sasha Goodlett
Tiffany Stansbury
Lucienne Berthieu
Tajama Abraham


Alysha Clark finally made her WNBA debut with a seasonal age of 24. She has a disappointing set of comps

Jameka Jones
Taylor Lilley
Katrina Hibbert
Jamie Cassidy
Greta Koss
Chastity Reed
Alexis Gray-Lawson
Stacy Frese
April Sykes
Nadine Domond

Yeah, what we really need is a 21st century Greta Koss...


Sonja Petrovic has a fascinating set of comps, though none are very close matches...

Allison Feaster
Kristin Folkl
Jennifer Lacy
Bethany Donaphin
Megan Frazee
Scholanda Robinson
Keri Chaconas
Kendra Wecker Shocked
Tiffany Travis
Jia Perkins


Ziomara Morrison has five close (score 990+) matches. Her top 10:

Camille Cooper
Andrea Gardner
Raegan Scott
Shea Mahoney
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton
Porsha Phillips
Kate Starbird
Heather Owen
Jacinta Monroe
Gergana Branzova


I would love to give Lib fans some encouraging thoughts about Kelley Cain. Instead, here are her top 10 comps, all of which score at 990 or better:

Jill Chapman
Abi Olajuwon
Ta'Shia Phillips
Erika Desouza
Denique Graves
Emmeline Ndongue
Nyree Roberts
Jacinta Monroe
Paige Sauer
Takeisha Lewis


Now, the 22 year old rookies!

Tiffany Hayes has no close matches

Carla Boyd
Matee Ajavon
Renee Montgomery
Danielle Robinson
Charde Houston
Lindsay Whalen
Armintie Price
Tasha Humphrey
Gwen Jackson
Epiphanny Prince


Devereaux Peters has only one close match

Vanessa Hayden
Jessica Davenport
Ayana Walker
Tiffany Jackson
Laura Harper
Erlana Larkins
Courtney Paris
Shantia Owens
Rebekkah Brunson
LaTonya Johnson


Natalie Novosel, OTOH, has six close matches and dozens in the 980s.

Shaunzinski Gortman
April Sykes
K. B. Sharp
Tynesha Lewis
Chandi Jones
Jameka Jones
Tasha Butts
Aiysha Smith
La'Tangela Atkinson
Amber Jacobs


Samantha Prahalis has only one 980+ match. We have to go down to 959 to make a list of 10.

Marie Ferdinand-Harris
Shavonte Zellous
Epiphanny Prince
Stacey Dales
Tracy Reid
Temeka Johnson
Renee Montgomery
Danielle Adams
Lindsay Whalen
Maya Moore


Lynetta Kizer doesn't have any close matches, but she's got seven in the 980s and a gang in the 970s.

Megan Frazee
Jamie Redd
LaTonya Johnson
Kia Vaughn
Courtney Paris
Vanessa Hayden
Erlana Larkins
LaQuanda Barksdale
Jantel Lavender
Shameka Christon


Riquna Williams, like Prahalis, has only on 980+ match. We have to go down to 961 to reach her 10th best comp

Epiphanny Prince
Renee Montgomery
Stacey Dales
Marie Ferdinand-Harris
Sidney Spencer
Tamika Raymond
Dominique Canty
Semeka Randall
Matee Ajavon
Brandy Reed


Finally, the 21 year olds. Bear in mind that only 17% of WNBA players are 21 or younger as rookies, so the matches will be less close

Nneka Ogwumike has a pair of 980+ matches, but the comps fall off fast after that. We have to go down to 949 to make a top 10 list, at which point we've reached players who are not much at all like her

Candice Dupree
Tracy Reid
Tina Charles
DeWanna Bonner
Elizabeth Cambage
Chamique Holdsclaw
LaToya Thomas
Sue Bird
Candice Wiggins
Tamecka Dixon


Glory Johnson has no 980+ matches. We have to go down to 940 for a top 10 list

DeWanna Bonner
Elizabeth Cambage
LaToya Thomas
Candice Dupree
Tracy Reid
Tamecka Dixon
Monica Wright
Tangela Smith
Svetlana Abrosimova
Penny Taylor

Johnson and Ogwumike are closer to each other than they are to many of their listed comps.


Shekinna Stricklen also has no 980+ matches. We have to go down to 959 to make a top 10 list

Tamera Young
Adia Barnes
Deanna Nolan
Agnieszka Bibrzycka
Essence Carson
Jasmine Thomas
Mwadi Mabika
Crystal Kelly
Asjha Jones
Plenette Pierson


April Sykes has one close match and a bunch of 980s

Karima Christmas
Kristen Mann
Jameka Jones
Octavia Blue
Megan Duffy
Jaynetta Saunders
Andrea Riley
Iziane Castro Marques
Olayinka Sanni
Gergana Branzova


Sasha Goodlett has three close matches and a gang of 980s

Carolyn Swords
Gergana Branzova
Kristen Mann
Jamie Cassidy
Tye'sha Fluker
Olayinka Sanni
Carla Thomas
Jaynetta Saunders
Victoria Dunlap
Jacinta Monroe


Briana Gilbreath has no 980+ matches. Her closest comp marks her as someone to keep an eye on, however

Deanna Nolan
Agnieszka Bibrzycka
Adia Barnes
Essence Carson
Asjha Jones
Brandy Reed
Crystal Kelly
Ashley Shields
Tamera Young
Jasmine Thomas


Shenise Johnson has no close matches, but five 980s and a bunch of 970s

Erin Phillips
Jasmine Thomas
Essence Carson
Christi Thomas
Olympia Scott
Plenette Pierson
Crystal Langhorne
Deanna Nolan
Helen Darling
Ashley Shields



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PostPosted: 09/16/13 3:22 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Looking at 2013

I'm just going to post the ones that played enough to matter. Nobody can possibly care that Courtney Clements closest match is Tiffany McCain.

The 23 year old rookies:

Elena Delle Donne has only one marginally close match. It's probably not a comparison that comes immediately to mind for most people:

Cappie Pondexter
Betty Lennox
Rebecca Lobo
Korie Hlede
Nykesha Sales
Tina Thompson
Elizabeth Cambage
Wendy Palmer
Danielle Adams
Candace Parker

Angel Goodrich's has plenty of close matches. Maybe she'll turn into Jia Perkins or Leilani Mitchell, but I wouldn't bet on it:

Felicia Ragland
Jia Perkins
Leilani Mitchell
Grace Daley
Niele Ivey
Milena Flores
Keitha Dickerson
Ashley Shields
Christy Smith
Tiffany Travis


As for the 22 year old rookies...

Skylar Diggins haters aren't going to like who rated as the most similar for her...

Lindsay Whalen
Tiffany Hayes
Matee Ajavon
Danielle Robinson
Carla Boyd
Armintie Price
Renee Montgomery
Epiphanny Prince
Tamara Moore
Kim Williams


Brittney Griner fans aren't going to like who rated as the most similar for her...

Nicole Ohlde
Tina Thompson
Danielle Adams
Sylvia Fowles
Cheryl Ford
Elizabeth Cambage
Sophia Young
Angel McCoughtry
Katie Mattera
Alana Beard


Tayler Hill has perhaps the most meh set of comps ever:

Coretta Brown
Shanna Crossley
Briann January
Barbara Turner
Marissa Coleman
Agnieszka Bibrzycka
Tan White
Shameka Christon
Courtney Vandersloot
Tamara Moore


Alex Bentley's comps are similar to Diggins with one major exception:

Matee Ajavon
Kim Williams
Tan White
Carla Boyd
Renee Montgomery
Tiffany Hayes
Kara Lawson
Danielle Robinson
Tasha Humphrey
Kristi Toliver


Kayla Alexander's comps are seemingly all people who hung around longer than they should:

Kathrin Ress
DeMya Walker
Iciss Tillis
Gergana Branzova
Clarisse Machanguana
Mistie Bass
Bernadette Ngoyisa
Teana Miller
La'Tangela Atkinson
Andrea Garner


Toni Young's comps are schizo. A couple of future all stars and a handful of players who were out of the league after one season:

Kelly Santos
Maylana Martin
Rashanda McCants
Nicole Powell
Aiysha Smith
Rebekkah Brunson
Bernadette Ngoyisa
Erlana Larkins
Shantia Owens
Courtney Paris


OK, I was wrong about Tayler Hill's list. Check out Kelly Faris' comps:

Kelly Miller
Liz Moeggenberg
Erin Thorn
Candace Futrell
Tai Dillard
Jaclyn Johnson
Shereka Wright
Khadijah Whittington
Katrina Hibbert
Claire Coggins


Tianna Hawkins' comp list is essentially the same as Toni Young's, minus one of the All Stars:

Bernadette Ngoyisa
Aiysha Smith
Jayne Appel
Tynesha Lewis
Kathrin Ress
Jamie Cassidy
DeMya Walker
La'Tangela Atkinson
Teana Miller
Natalie Novosel


Kamiko Williams has comps that are even less notable than Kelly Faris'

Tasha Butts
La'Tangela Atkinson
Alex Montgomery
Octavia Blue
Quianna Chaney
Morenike Atunrase
Angelina Williams
Kelly Mazzante
Kim Smith
Iciss Tillis


Tierra Ruffin-Pratt has a fascinating set of comps:

Kalana Greene
Rebekkah Brunson
Chelsea Newton
Kisha Ford
Rashanda McCants
Ashley Shields
Olympia Scott
Marla Brumfield
Davellyn Whyte
Maylana Martin


Layshia Clarendon has the less interesting part of Ruffin-Pratt's list with some less post-like additions:

Kalana Greene
Kisha Ford
Marla Brumfield
Chelsea Newton
Ukari Figgs
Kristin Haynie
Chandi Jones
Rashanda McCants
Davellyn Whyte
Ashley Shields


Davellyn Whyte is in the same vein:

Tora Suber
Kalana Greene
Felicia Ragland
Chelsea Newton
Lisa Willis
Rashanda McCants
Shay Murphy
Kisha Ford
Katie Gearlds
Nicole Powell


The only 21 year old who played enough to matter is Kelsey Bone. Her comps are pretty good:

Asjha Jones
Sandrine Gruda
Essence Carson
Plenette Pierson
Tamera Young
Ruth Riley
Crystal Kelly
Adia Barnes
Deanna Nolan
Christi Thomas


Emma Meesseman is only 20. Of the 13 other players who were that seasonal age in their rookie season, the one least like Meesseman was Lauren Jackson. That's all you really need to know.



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PostPosted: 09/16/13 4:27 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Great stuff, as always ...



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PostPosted: 09/17/13 2:35 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Great stuff, and the fact that your sig includes a quote from Titanic: The Legend Goes On is proof that you're someone who should be taken seriously by all right-thinking people.



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PostPosted: 09/17/13 8:44 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

JKFecke wrote:
Great stuff, and the fact that your sig includes a quote from Titanic: The Legend Goes On is proof that you're someone who should be taken seriously by all right-thinking people.


Actually, my quote is from Legend of the Titanic. Titanic: The Legend Goes On is the other animated Titanic movie with talking mice, the one with the rapping dog.



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PostPosted: 09/17/13 9:33 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I had not read this thread in previous years. Looking back now is fascinating. Thank you, pilight, for putting it all together.


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PostPosted: 08/18/14 5:43 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

2014

Starting with the 21 year olds

Damiris Dantas

Plenette Pierson
Sandrine Gruda
Christi Thomas
Kelsey Bone
Asjha Jones
Courtney Paris
Olympia Scott
Crystal Langhorne
Kristen Rasmussen
Essence Carson

Bria Hartley

Monica Wright
Shekinna Stricklen
Tamecka Dixon
LaToya Thomas
Jasmine Thomas
Tamera Young
Adia Barnes
Tangela Smith
Deanna Nolan
Mwadi Mabika

Odyssey Sims

Candice Wiggins
Sue Bird
Chamique Holdsclaw
Tracy Reid
Candice Dupree
Tina Charles
Nneka Ogwumike
Monica Wright
Tamecka Dixon
Svetlana Abrosimova

Stefanie Dolson

Laura Harper
Ayana Walker
Jessica Davenport
Erin Perperoglou
Vanessa Hayden
Jantel Lavender
Devereaux Peters
Kara Braxton
Tiffany Jackson
Shantia Owens

Jamierra Faulkner

Matee Ajavon
Kim Williams
Tan White
Skylar Diggins
Danielle Robinson
Alex Bentley
Armintie Price
Tamara Moore
Briann January
Courtney Vandersloot

Markeisha Gatling

Kelly Santos
Oksana Zakaluzhnaya
Bernadette Ngoyisa
Jayne Appel
Summer Erb
Toni Young
Teana Miller
Michelle Snow
Tianna Hawkins
Kayla Alexander

Natasha Howard

Kara Braxton
Jantel Lavender
Kayla Pedersen
Tamika Whitmore
Laura Harper
Erin Perperoglou
Tiffany Jackson
Devereaux Peters
Murriel Page
Barbara Turner

Tricia Liston

Kelly Miller
Kelly Faris
Erin Thorn
Jaclyn Johnson
Candace Futrell
Claire Coggins
Rachel Jarry
Liz Moeggenberg
Brittainey Raven
Kelly Mazzante

Maggie Lucas

April Sykes
Natalie Novosel
Katie Gearlds
Shaunzinski Gortman
Georgia Schweitzer
Tynesha Lewis
Jolene Anderson
Chandi Jones
Iziane Castro Marques
Jeanette Pohlen

Kayla McBride

Maya Moore
Tina Thompson
Jackie Stiles
Angel McCoughtry
Marie Ferdinand-Harris
Danielle Adams
Samantha Prahalis
Alana Beard
Riquna Williams
Shavonte Zellous

Chiney Ogwumike

Wendy Palmer
Swin Cash
Tina Thompson
Cheryl Ford
Alana Beard
Nicole Ohlde
Sophia Young
Jackie Stiles
Angel McCoughtry
Candace Parker

Chiney's numbers are not actually very much like any of these players. They are just the least different.

Shoni Schimmel

Kara Lawson
Alex Bentley
Renee Montgomery
Skylar Diggins
Matee Ajavon
Danielle Robinson
Tamara Moore
Tiffany Hayes
Tan White
Carla Boyd

Alyssa Thomas

Tamika Raymond
Semeka Randall
Cheryl Ford
Charde Houston
Dominique Canty
Gwen Jackson
Epiphanny Prince
Murriel Page
Marie Ferdinand-Harris
Armintie Price

Jordan Hooper

Shameka Christon
Shanna Crossley
Marissa Coleman
Coretta Brown
Agnieszka Bibrzycka
Tayler Hill
LaTonya Johnson
Shay Murphy
Tiffany Travis
Jamie Redd



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PostPosted: 08/18/14 5:48 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

pilight wrote:


Jamierra Faulkner

Matee Ajavon


Welp...


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PostPosted: 08/18/14 6:32 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I'm assuming these are in order, most similar listed first ...

Maggie Lucas may have the worst list ...



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PostPosted: 08/18/14 6:47 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

sigur3 wrote:
pilight wrote:


Jamierra Faulkner

Matee Ajavon


Welp...



I guess she could be going somewhere afterall Wink



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PostPosted: 08/18/14 6:49 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

pilight wrote:
Looking at 2013


Alex Bentley's comps are similar to Diggins with one major exception:

Matee Ajavon


That explains a lot. Now we know who else is using this system.


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PostPosted: 08/18/14 7:04 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

ClayK wrote:
I'm assuming these are in order, most similar listed first ...

Maggie Lucas may have the worst list ...


Yes.

Some of them make perfect sense. Dolson/Harper and Schimmel/Lawson seem obvious once you see them. Others not so much. I don't see Wendy Palmer when I watch Chiney Ogwumike.



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PostPosted: 08/18/14 7:13 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I know this is a natural effect of the database growing and an increased familiarity with the players, but this year's batch o' scores seem to be the most logical matches yet. (Plus, I love seeing some of the old names pop up.)



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